Deadline

TMZ broke the story ... legal pit bull Marty Singer fired off a demand letter to Warner Bros. and CBS, demanding that Charlie be paid for the remaining episodes that were canceled this season ... or else.

Singer claims it's ridiculous to think Warner Bros. axed the episodes because of Charlie's behavior. Singer says, "Warner Bros. had no problem last year when it looked like Charlie might plead guilty to a felony," referring to the domestic violence case in Aspen involving Brooke Mueller.

Singer adds, "Warner Bros. made it clear they wanted Charlie back for two more years, even with the prospect that he could go to jail. They made a deal with him while the charges were pending."

Singer goes on, "But now that Charlie made some disparaging comments about the show runner who had refused to work ... they made a decision not to proceed with the show this year. It's outrageous."

Singer believes Warner Bros. is cow-towing to Lorre because he produces lots of shows for them.

And Singer says, If Warner Bros. doesn't pay Charlie, "we're going to pursue all legal options."

Warner Bros. had no comment.

Comedies are funny.

The statement is long and rambling -- it seems he's mocking Charlie's recent ramblings. Lorre says, "I believe that consciousness creates the illusion of individualism, the false feeling of being separate." Translation: Charlie may think he's blazing his own path but he's still on the well-traveled trail of life.

Lorre goes on: "I further believe that this existential misunderstanding is the prime motivating force for the neurotic compulsion to blot out consciousness." Translation: Charlie is living in a dream world.

There are other gems, but Lorre ends by writing, "The Fall from Grace is, in fact, a Sprint from Grace. Or perhaps more accurately, Screw Grace, I am so outta here!"

As for writing, "I am so outta here!" could be Lorre talking or it could be what Lorre thinks Charlie is saying.

Dicky's daughter and publicist Kerry Eklund tells TMZ, Bale's promo during his acceptance speech for "Best Supporting Actor" drove a ridiculous amount of traffic to Dicky's website ... and the servers just couldn't handle the load.

Sources on the technical side tell us, the site experienced nearly 20 times its normal daily traffic -- jumping from around 500 hits to nearly 10,000.

Charlie tells TMZ, "If they do that then they deserve their failures and the follies."

But Charlie is getting all hot and bothered for nothing. People directly connected with the show tell TMZ ... the off-handed comment about Stamos replacing Sheen was a joke.

Members of the crew tell TMZ .... they were told "Men" creator Chuck Lorre spearheaded the move, got Warner Bros. on board and as a result more than 100 people will be getting their paychecks.

Members of the crew estimate they will collectively get around $2 million for the 4 weeks of work.

One crew member tells us he and his colleagues are "ecstatic."

We've learned legal pit bull Marty Singer has fired off a demand letter to Warner Bros. and CBS, claiming Charlie was ready, willing and able to go back to the show weeks ago, but show creator Chuck Lorre began canceling episodes ... ultimately leading to the cancellation of the rest of the season.

Singer is demanding full payment for the canceled episodes -- roughly $16 million.

We've also learned ... Singer may send a similar demand to Lorre, claiming he interfered with Charlie's contract by refusing to produce the full order of shows.

The letter reads:

What does this say about Haim Levine [Chuck Lorre] after he tried to use his words to judge and attempt to degrade me. I gracefully ignored this folly for 177 shows ... I fire back once and this contaminated little maggot can't handle my power and can't handle the truth. I wish him nothing but pain in his silly travels especially if they wind up in my octagon. Clearly I have defeated this earthworm with my words -- imagine what I would have done with my fire breathing fists. I urge all my beautiful and loyal fans who embraced this show for almost a decade to walk with me side-by-side as we march up the steps of justice to right this unconscionable wrong.

Remember these are my people ... not yours...we will continue on together...

CBS and Warner Bros. say, "Based on the totality of Charlie Sheen's statements, conduct and condition, CBS and Warner Bros. Television have decided to discontinue production of 'Two and a Half Men' for the remainder of the season."

The decision comes several hours after TMZ posted a story in which Charlie Sheen challenged creator Chuck Lorre to a fight, calling him "a stupid, stupid little man and a pu**y punk that I never want to be like."

Sources connected with the production tell us ... Charlie's comments to TMZ were the final straw.

TMZ spoke with James G. Robinson -- CEO of Morgan Creek Productions -- who tells us, "I'm not going to risk putting Charlie in the movie if he continues messing up."

Robinson continues, "Obviously with Major League 3 there's a huge part written for Charlie's character ... but after dealing with Lindsay Lohan on 'Georgia Rule,' I can speak for someone who has experienced the difficulties of working with an actor dealing with addiction."

"I won't go through that again. If Charlie doesn't straighten up ... I unfortunately can't put him in the movie."

Robinson explains, "When Lindsay was doing 'Georgia Rule,' she would miss full days of work. When an actor doesn't show up for work, you can lose half-a-million dollars a day paying the 250 other people there for the shoot and the costs for the set."

"Two and a Half Men" was officially shut down for the rest of the season after TMZ reported that Charlie wanted to challenge the show's creator Chuck Lorre to a cage fight.

Charlie is still ensconced in the Bahamas, having what he calls "a grand old time."

Charlie said, "I violently hate Chaim Levine (Chuck Lorre). He's a stupid, stupid little man and a p**sy punk that I'd never want to be like." Charlie adds, "That's me being polite."

Charlie is scoffing at all the people around him, saying, "All these guys told me to 'clean it up.' Well this is me cleaning it the f**k up."

Charlie, who insists he's sober, says, "All I want is to bring my family together, and I have to deal with all this B.S. politics."

And as if that's not enough, Charlie says "That piece of s**t [Lorre] took money out of my pocket, my family's pocket, and, most importantly, my second family -- my crew's pocket."

Charlie adds, "You can tell him [Lorre] one thing. I own him."

Sheen unloaded while calling in to "The Alex Jones Show" and claimed he is 100% clean, saying, "Here's your first pee test, next one goes in your mouth. No, you won't get high."

During his rant Sheen compared himself to the Marlon Brando character in "Apocalypse Now" -- and hit just about everything and everyone:

-- He calls Lorre a turd, a clown, and says his real name is "Haim Levine"

-- Referring to his rehab stint, Sheen claims to have embarrassed Lorre "in front of his children and the world by healing at a pace that his un-evolved mind cannot process."

-- On Alcoholics Anonymous ... Sheen says it's a "bootleg cult" with a success rate of only 5%, while his is 100% and added, "Newsflash .. I am special and I will never be one of you."

-- After one rant the host, Alex Jones, tells Charlie he sounds like Thomas Jefferson. Charlie's response, "I'm not Thomas Jefferson. He was a p***y! But I dare anyone to debate me on things."

-- On his drug and alcohol issues, "I have a disease? Bulls**t! I cured it ... with my mind."

Yesterday Charlie flew to an island near the Bahamas with ex Brooke Mueller, Bree Olson, and Natalie Kenly. In the the interview Charlie says Brooke has bailed out ... saying, "Where there were 4 there are now 3. Goodbye Brooke. Good luck in your travels, you're going to need it. Badly."

There's more ... much more -- including sometime incomprehensible riffs about trolls, tattoos, F-18 fighter pilots, and Vatican assassins.

As we first reported, a 52-year-old security guard working on the set was hit by a passenger van ... when the 60-year-old driver had some sort of medical emergency behind the wheel and veered on to the L.A. area set.

The security guard was rushed to a nearby hospital -- but later died from his injuries.

The driver of the van was also taken to the hospital and was later released.

We're told an investigation into the incident is still ongoing.

Halle is all but confirmed to star opposite Samuel L. Jackson in "The Mountain Top" -- a play set to open on Broadway this Fall which is scheduled to run for around four months.

Our sources say Gabriel is ready to raise the same stink he made over Halle going to NYC to film "New Year's Eve."

TMZ broke the story ... Gabriel was shot down when he asked the judge to prohibit his baby mama from taking their daughter Nahla to NYC for the "New Year's Eve" shoot -- which will last 1 week.

As for whether he'll be more successful in keeping Nahla from going to Broadway with Halle -- it's doubtful. The argument -- "You knew what you were signing up for" -- is awfully compelling.

The news comes in the wake of reports that producers were kicking around the idea of booting all spectators from the set of the show on days Charlie was scheduled to tape ... just in case something goes wrong.

But sources connected to the production tell us ... producers are expecting a packed house for the next "Men" taping ... because every ticket has already been handed out ... and they don't expect to cancel.

Will Charlie show? Will the taping go off without a hitch? Will Sheen bring his "goddesses" to the set?

Stay tuned ...